Smoke-generator



(No Model.)

T. THOMSON. SMOKE GENERATOR.

No. 606,315. Patented June 28,1898.

' noem/hoz (MMM/VM @Hof/mm3 said casing.

llNrTnn STATES PATENT rnrcn.

THOMAS THOMSON, OF SOR-ANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

SMOKE-G EN ERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,315, dated June as,189s. i Application filed January 5, 189'7. Serial Noi 618,047. (Nomodel.) i

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS THOMSON, a citi-` zen of the United States,residing at Scranton in the county of Lackawanna and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSmoke-Generators;

and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same. j

My invention relates to what may be termed smoke-generators for use intesting drainpipes, water seals of traps in plumbing systems, and thelike, my object being to provide a construction in which the smoke canbe easily generated and forced into the drain.

Further objects are to provide a device for testing for leaks in drainsand means for creating the pressure required in a continuous steadymanner, so as not to set the water in the house-traps to wavin g andincidentally breaking the seals.

To these ends the invention consists of the various matters hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure l isa sectional elevation of the present apparatus. Fig. 2 is a transversesectional elevation of the same, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.- Fig.3 is a top plan view showing `the bell of the smokechamber removed; Fig.4, detail section showing valves and taken 'on the line 4 4 of Fig. l2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, A represents a casingopen at the top and having a lining a of copper or similar material. Thelower end of the casing is closed by a bottom piece a2, While at oneside of the ease an opening ct is made in saidbottom. Depending fromsaid bottom a2 is a tube or water-leg a, whose upper end is open andsecured within the opening ain said bottom, while its lower end isclosed. The casing-"A is supported upon a bascas by upright side piecesCL4, secured at their lower ends to said base and whose upper ends formside pieces of Situated within the tube or water-leg o is a pipe B,curved at its lower end and projecting through the said tube orwatcrdeg, as at b, said projecting portion being screw-threaded for theattachment of a coupling. Vithin the casing A and rising 'from thebottom thereof is an upright circular partition co5, which has aninwardlyfcurved p0rtion a7 above the opening ct in the bottom ai. Achamber orv compartment VC is thus formed within said partition or` walla5. The space between the partition or wall ai and the walls of thecasing forms a jacket as, adapted to receive water or othersuitablefiuid to produce a seal for the bell c, which fits over thechamber C and the open end of the pipe B. Across Vthe chamber O, at asuitable distance from its bottom,`is a grate c', adapted to receivecomn bustible matter. v i

In the compartment C below the chamber O is located means for causingthe material placed upon the grate c to smoke and to force the smokethus generated through the pipe B into the drain or other inclosure tobe tested.

`In the present instance thismeans comprises a double-acting bellows D,to which atten tion is now to be given. This bellows comprises endplates d, suitably secured, as in the manner shown, to the walls of thecasin g, the usual covering d extending between the said end plates. Inthe center of this covering is a central plate d2 which has in itsbottom an inlet d3, said inlet being at its upper end T-v shaped, as atd, to provide openings into each of the chambers d5 d of the bellows.inlet-ports in the chambers are closed by suitM able valves d?. The endplates CZ are near their upper edgesprovided with outlet-ports d8, saidports having openings upon the inner faces of the end plates, while fromthe plates d, above the ports d8, project tubes d, which enter thechamber O through `the bottom thereof. These tubes are at their upperends providedwith suitable valves dw. The gate valves du are alsoprovided in each of the tubes d in order that the chamber C can bepositively cut off from the bellows D.

The bellows is operated by means of a crank mechanism E'. In thismechanism a shaft c extends across the Vbase of the casing and isjournaled in suitable bearings c, the outer end of said shaft e beingturned at an angle to its body portion to form an upright e', which hasits outer end formed into a handle e2. *'-Stritable arms c3 project fromthe shaft e, said arms being connected tothe.. central plate of thebellows by means ofp'ins e". L

The

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Referring now to the operation of the present apparatus, it will be seenthat if combustible material is placed upon the grate c movement of thehandle c2, and consequently of the shaft e, produces an oscillation ofthe central plate of the bellows, thus creating a steady draft throughthe bottom of the chamber C, the operation of the valves d7 and dw inthis connection being so apparent that it is not thought necessary todescribe the same in detail. The end of the pipe B being attached tothedrain-pipe or other inclosure to be tested as to leaks, the continuedsupply of air from the bellows will not only produce a volume of smokeand direct the same into the drain-pi pe, but will also serve to store aquantity of air in the chamber G and thus raise the bell c. After asufficient quantity of air has been pumped into the chamber C the valvesd are closed, if so desired, and the chamber C thus positively cut offfrom the bellows. The water seal for the bell prevents the egress of thesmoke-laden air from the chamber C in any manner other than by the pipeB, and it will thus be seen that should the bell remain after the valvesare closed at the same height which it occupied before the closing ofthe said valves it can be safely said that there is no leak in thedrains. Should the bell fall, however, after the closing of the valves,it will conclusively show that the smoke-laden air is escaping` fromsome portion of the drain, and upon investigation the leak can bedetected by the egress of smoke from the drain in the usual manner. Thepipe l being located in the'water-compartment a', the smoke-charged airis thoroughly cooled before it reaches the drain or other article.

It will be readily seen that the bell forms an important part of thepresent apparatus. Preferably the weight of this bell will be such thatthe pressure required to raise it will not be suflicient to blow throughthe seal of a good trap in the plumbing system to be tested,

while the same pressure will blow out a poor trap. The bell also acts asa species of safetyvalve, the weight of the bell being such that it willbe raised from the generating-chamber,

iid thus relieve the pressure in the drains rather than the house-trapsbeing blown out. Ot' course, however, the weight of this bell can beeasily regulated by placing weights upon the same. Furthermore, thisbell also gives instant relief in case of an explosion in the generator,thus preventing a miniature explosion from blowing out the seals of thehouse-traps.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A drain-testing apparatus of the kind described comprising a casing,a chamber in said casing, said chamber having its outer walls placed adistance from the inneizfaces of the walls of the casin g, an outletfrom said chamber 5 means in the chamber for supporting a combustiblematerial, and bellows forsupplying a current of air to the chamber onthe side of the combustible material opposite the outlet and a bellfitting over the chamber, said bell having its sides depending in thespace between the walls oi' the chamber and the inner faces of thecasing and there immersed in a sealin g iiuid so as to adapt it to beraised by the pressure of the air created by the operation of thebellows aforesaid and provide a steady pressure on the drain to betested, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In combination with a drain-testing device a casing and chamberwithin said casing and means within the chamber for supporting acombustible material, means for supplying a current of air into thechamber and an outlet opposite the combustible material from that inwhich the air is supplied, and a bell fitting over the chamber havingits sides immersed in a sealing fluid between the walls of the chamberto the inner faces of an outer casing, and the said bell adapted to beraised or lowered by the pressure of the air which maybe pumped into it,and means for pumping the air into said chamber, substantially asspecified.

3. An apparatus of the character indicated, comprising a casing, achamber in said casing, an outlet from saidv chamber, means in thechamber for supporting a combustible material, and a bellows, saidbellows comprising stationary end plates, said end plates being providedwith ports leading into the above` mentioned chamber, a central platebetween the Walls of the bellows, said central plate having aninlet-port leading, to each of the chambers of the bellows, valves uponsaid inlet-ports, and means for reciprocating the central plate of thebellows; substantially as described.

4. An apparatus of the characterindicated, comprising a casing, achamber in said casing, means in said chamber for supporting acombustible material, an outlet from said chamber, means for su pplyinga current of air to said chamber on the side of the combustible materialopposite theA outlet, and means for closing the passage into the chamberfrom the member for supplying the air thereto; substantially asdescribed.

5. An apparatus of the characterindicated,

comprising a casing, a chamber in said cas? ing, means in said chamberfor supporting a combustible material, an outlet from said chamber,means for supplying a current of air to said chamber on the side of thecombustible material opposite the outlet, and a positively-operativeValve in the passage between the chamber and the member for supplyingair thereto.

G. An apparatus of the characterindicated, comprising a casing, achamber in said casing, means for supporting a combustible material insaid chamber, an outlet from said chamber, a bellows communicating withsaid chamber, said bellows comprising stationaryT IOO IIO

endn plates, said end plates being provided with valved ports leadinginto the chamber, a central plate attached to the walls of said bellows,said central plate having an inletport leading into each of the chambersof the bellows, valves upon said inlet-ports, a transverse rock-shaft,arms upon said shaft, pivots securing said arms to the central plate ofthe bellows, and an operating-lever upon said shaft; substantially asfescribed.

7. An apparatus of thecharacterindicated, comprising a casing, anupright partition or wall within said casing,a downwardly-extending tubeor water-leg situated between said upright partition or wall and thewall of the casing, an outlet-pipe in said tube or waterleg and casing,said outlet-pipe having its upper end open, a bell covering the chamberC and the open end of the outlet-pipe, a grate across said chamberadapted to supporting combustible material, a bellows in thecornpartinent below said chamber, said bellows comprising stationary endplates, said end plates having valved ports leading into the chamber, acentral plate attached to the walls of said bellows, said central platehaving an inlet-port with openings into the two chambers of the bellows,valves upon said inletports into the bellows-chambers,positivelyoperative valves in the outlet-ports from the bellows to theiirst-mentioned chamber, a shaft mounted below the bellows, armsextending from said shaft; pivots upon said arms securing the same tothe central plate of the bellows, and a crank-arm upon' said shaftadapted to reciprocate the same, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presenceoftwo subscrib `ing witnesses.

THOMAS THOMSON. Witnesses:

' W. S. DIEHL,

F. FIELD.

